Apparatus for severing and collating sheets



April 13, 1965 T. J. WALCK ETAL 3,178,170

APPARATUS FOR SEVERING AND COLLATING SHEETS Filed Feb. 20, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS United States Patent Delaware Filed Feb. 28, 1963, Ser. No. 259,830 11 (Iiaims. (Cl. 270-68) This invention relates to web or strip severing devices having means operating in conjunction with the severing means for stacking the individual severed sheets or cards in certain sequential order.

A principal object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved combined bursting machine of the type mentioned and also novel interleaving and stacking mechanism applicable to any system involving advancing strips or webs in parallel or side-by-side order.

A forms detacher of a type to which the present invention is particularly adapted is disclosed in the United States patent to Louis F. Hageman 2,778,424, granted January 22, 1957 and assigned to the assignee of this present application. This type of specialty form detacher is designed for adjustment to handle continuous tabulating cards and separate the continuous strips into individual cards at the same time discarding the usual narrow intervening connecting strips. In order to use tabulating equipment more efiiciently, the tab cards are run twowide that is, in a wide continuous web form comprising two strips of tab cards side-by-side. Usually the twinned cards are not connected together directly but only through the medium of the connecting stubs which extend all the way across the double web. This wide strip is run through the form detacher of the kind disclosed in the Hagernan patent and the result in the case of that disclosure was two separate piles of individual cards accumulating at the discharge end of the machine.

In further improving the efi'iciency of this operation, especially in connection with sequentially numbered card forms, it is now found expedient to effect a sequence of cards running from the left-hand card to its twin on the right-hand side of the double web, and back to the next succeeding left-hand card, alternating down the strip or web. To accomplish this automatically the machine according to the present invention was developed.

The invention in its preferred embodiments contemplates the provision of a novel and improved detacher combined with delivery means including mechanism for moving the cards of each strip laterally inwardly towards each other and interleaving them in the desired sequence, before they are discharged onto the delivery pile. In such an embodiment the interleaving and stacking mechanism may be driven from the pull or snatch rolls of the detacher.

The invention also contemplates the provision of a novel sub-combination comprising an interleaving and stacking machine employing canted feed rollers and a tripping tongue, which may be employed independently to handle parallel series of sheets or cards arriving from any source, which cards are to be assembled or amalga matedinto a single pile.

Other objects and features of novelty will be apparent from the following specification when read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which one embodimerit of the invention is illustrated by way of example.

FIGURE 3 is a similar view taken on line 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary detail in vertical section taken on line 44 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a similar view taken on line 5-5 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a similar vertical sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURES 7 and 8 are diagrammatic views showing the action of the canted rollers in guiding and interleaving the cards; and

FIGURE 9 is a diagrammatic plan view of a strip of continuous tab cards of the type and sequential order to which the present invention is particularly applicable.

In FIGURE 1 of the drawings will be recognized the right-hand end portions of the strip severing machine disclosed in the I-Iageman et al. Patent 2,778,424 and adjusted to the position of the parts as shown in FIG- URE 4 of that patent where the severing device is set for severing short units such as tabulating cards, from a continuous web of such interconnected cards, for example, as suggested in FIGURE 12 of that patent.

The delivery of cards from that severing machine is quite satisfactory, when single-width card webs are handled or in cases where double-width webs are treated under conditions where the sequence of the cards which lie side by side is of no consequence.

However, where two-wide continuous card webs are to be severed and stacked in a zigzag or alternating sequence such as suggested in FIGURE 9 of the drawings of the present application, the applicant's attachment comes into play. For example, suppose that the web W of FIGURE 9 in which the tab cards are arranged in double widths with the intervening connecting stubs joining them longitudinally, is to be separated with the lefthand card always preceding the right-hand card in each pair, as viewed in the direction of movement as indicated by the arrow A. Then mean must be provided for dropping the card numbered 1 before the card numbered 2 is dropped after this pair has been severed from cards 3 and 4. At the same time the cards of each pair must be guided inwardly toward each other so as to interleave themselves as the stack is formed. With the provisions of the present invention, this alternate interleaving stacking is elfected and the cards are stacked in the order indicated by the numbers 114 in FIGURE 9.

The parts of the severing machine to which the mechanism provided by the present invention is applied, will be briefly described and employing generally the same reference characters as used in the Hageman Patent 2,778,424. Of course, for a completely detailed description of the construction and operation of the severing machine, reference is made to the specification and drawings of the patent mentioned.

The device is supported upon framework which includes the remote side frame is supported upon the feet 17, one of which is shown in FIGURE 1 of the drawings. A superstructure comprising a remote side frame 51 surmounts the basic framework, and within the framing exemplified by the side frame 51 there are supported for rotation the lower and upper feed rollers 46 and 41 by means of which the web W is fed toward the jump roll set designated generally by the numeral 57, and which comprises the lower roll 55 and the upper roll 56.

The bearings for these rolls are adjustably mounted in openings in the side walls of the superstructure of the machine all as clearly described in the patent referred to. A top plate 65 serves as means for bracing the bolt 61 which carries the coil spring 62, the tension of which may be properly adjusted by suitable means to control the pressure of the jump roll set 57.

Also, pivotally mounted at one end of the plate 65 is the knife carrying frame 5.52, the pivot means being provided by the cross bar 153. Since this bursting knife is employed only in severing longer units from webs of a different variety than contemplated here, the details will not be described. The knife is shown here in its idle position.

The pull roll stand of the machine of the Hagernan patent is designated generally by the numeral St and comprises the framework 83 which serves to carry the pull rolls or snatch rolls 9% and 109, the lower roll 98 having an axle or shaft 97 and the upper roll being supported upon a shaft indicated at 101. Means such as described in the Hageman patent are provided for adjusting the gripping pressure of these rolls.

To accord with the length of the card units to be severed, the pull roll frame 89 is adjustable along the extension 16A of the main frame 16 to and from the position of the feeding and restraining rolls constituted by the jump rolls 57. This is accomplished by rotating the shaft 57 manually by any suitable means so that the gear 171 fixed upon this shaft will roll along the rack 93 carried by the frame extension 16A. Of course, the gear 171 and rack 93 may be duplicated upon the opposite or near side of the frame.

The driving means for the severing machine is fully disclosed in the Hageman patent (see particularly FIG- URES 3, and 9); and this means is shown only sketchily in FIGURE 4 of the present application. The motor M through the train of reducing gearing 5% drives a sprocket 233 about which is trained the drive chain 249. The chain is also trained around a sprocket 235 which drives the jump rolls 56. From the jump roll stand 57 the chain is passed around the sprocket 225 fixed upon the shaft 97 of the lower pull roll. From there the chain is guided around the sprocket 23b rotatably carried by the frame 80 and finally around the return sprocket 232. andback to the motor driven sprocket 233. The upper rolls are driven fromthe lower rolls in each set by inter meshing gearing carried by their respective shafts.

As provided by the present invention a supplemental frame 25 is disposed upon the main frame extension 16A between the racks 93 and in close juxta-position to the pull roll frame 80. The frame 25 consists of a base plate 26 and two angled side frames 27 and 28. The side frames may be made of angle plates, the base flanges 29 of which may be suitably secured to the base plate 26 and the vertically extending portions 39 being bored to receive or support the shafts of certain angled or canted supplemental feed rolls presently to be described.

Two pairs of these supplemental angled feed rolls are provided as indicated, the lower ones of these rolls being shown in plan view in FIGURE 2 of the drawings, the first rolls to receive the severed cards being designated 35, and the subsequent rolls 36. The rolls are fixed upon the shafts 37 which havebearings suggested at 38 and 39, the inner ends of the shafts 37 being operatively connected by the short shaft 42 by means of the universal joints 43 and 44. The rolls 35 are fixed upon shafts 45 and 46 and are operatively connected by the universal joint 48. a

The outer ends of the shafts 45 and 46 are rotatably mounted in bearings indicated at 49 and 5t respectively.

The outer ends of the shafts 37 and 46 carry sprocket wheels 70 and 71 which are operatively connected by the chain 73. A universal joint 75 connects the shaft 37 beyond the sprocket wheel 70 with a stub shaft 76 set in a vertical plate 77 supported by the supplemental frame 25. This stub shaft 76 carries a sprocket wheel 9%.

The frame plate 77 also supports a stub shaft 91 which carries both a gear 92 and a. sprocket 93. A chain 95 connects the sprockets 75 and 93 and the gear 92 meshes with an idler gear 116 carried upon a stub shaft 111 also supported in the frame 77. The idler gear 110, when the supplemental stacking arrangement is applied to the detacher, is made to mesh with the gear fixed upon the shaft 97 of the lower pull roll 93 of the detacher.

The upper rolls of the interleaving stacker device and their mountings will now be described with reference particularly to FIGURES 3, 5 and 6. The first set of these rolls are indicated at 156 and the second set at 151, the first set being rotatably mounted on the bent shaft 154 and the rolls 151 being rotatably mounted on the angled shaft 155. The ends of these shafts are fixedly mounted as at 156 in the vertical plates 30 of the frame members 2?; carried by the supplemental frame 25. The upper rolls 15%) coact with the driven lower rolls 35 but are not driven themselves. Similarly, the upper rolls 151 cooperate with the lower driven rolls 36 in forwarding the cards in a converging manner.

It will be noted that the feed rolls on the respective sides of the center line are shorter than the widths of the card elements of the series which they are to handle and are furthermore disposed somewhat outwardly from the center line so as to leave quite an area of the inward portions of the advancing card elements free for flexing.

Between the laterally spaced pairs of supplemental interleaving and stacking rolls there is disposed a horizontal guide plate or ledge 16%. This plate need not be of the full width of the stacking arrangement, a suitable approximate area being suggested in FIGURE 2 of the drawings. The approach edge 162 of the plate 169 is curved downwardly slightly as indicated clearly in FTGURE 6 of the drawings and there is secured, as by welding, to the righthand half of the upper surface of the plate (facing in the direction of movement of the cards) a tongue 165 indicated clearly in FIGURES 2, 6, 7 and 8 of the drawings.

The operation of the device according to the present invention will be clearly understood. The tab card strip or web W fed through the detacher machine is severed into individual cards arranged in pairs such as indicated at 1-2, 34, 5-6, etc., and connecting stubs S which latter are discarded as fully described in the Hageman patent mentioned. The pairs of cards proceed as indicated in the diagrams represented by FIGURES 7 and 8. As the advancing pairs of cards, for example, cards 1 and 2, encounter the bite of the first pair of angled rolls 35 and 159 they are fed inwardly toward each'other, but not before the tongue 165 has lifted the left-hand inner corner C of card No. 2 so that the right-hand corner of card No. 1 will move inwardly beneath the corner C of card No. 2. Since the bite of the rolls takes effect on the outward portions of the cards only, the inward corners are free to interleave as urged by the tongue 165.

Further inward feeding and interleaving of the cards is of course effected by the subsequent pairs of interleaving and stacking rolls 36 and 151, acting on the cards which have already been guided toward each other by the initial pairs of rolls.

Similar inward converging feeding is accomplished upon the subsequent pairs of cards as will be clearly understood. The cards then are dropped onto the receiving pile board 140 between the vertical guides 142 and 143 in the numerical order in which the cards are designated in the diagrammatic FIGURE 9.

While peculiarly adaptable to card detachers of the type described and closely inter-releated thereto so as to derive its motive power from the driving means of the detacher, it is conceivable that the improved interleaving stacker arrangement may constitute a novel sub-combination applicable to double-width streams of sheet or card material fed to it from other sources.

Other changes and modifications may be made in the illustrated embodiment of the invention without departing from the scope thereof as defined by the subjoined claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A machine for severing longitudinally succeeding units from a double-width continuous strip of sheet material and stacking said units in a single pile, said machine comprising a severing device including a set of feeding and restraining rolls and a set of pull rolls mounted on said frame, through which rolls the double-width strip successively passes, the pull rolls serving to separate successive pairs of half-units from the strip held by the restrain ing rolls; two pairs of feed rolls disposed in the line of progress of the units beyond the pull rolls, one pair on each side of the center line of the strip, the rolls of each pair being disposed in coacting feeding relationship on respective opposite surfaces of the half-units of sheet material, the last named pairs of rolls being set at angles to the center line, their axes diverging forwardly, whereby the feed rolls of the respective pairs seize the half-units of the successive severed units and move them toward the center line of the strip so that the half-units of the strip are interleaved and delivered onto a single pile; and a common driving means for said pull rolls and said last named feed rolls, which common driving means comprises a source of power, transmission means operatively connected between said source of power and one of said pull rolls, a gear on the shaft of said pull roll, and a gear train operatively connected with one of said feed rolls and including a gear in engagement with the gear on the shaft of said feed roll.

2. A machine for severing longitudinally succeeding units from a double-width continuous strip of sheet material and stacking said units in predetermined sequence alternately across and longitudinally of the strip, said machine comprising a severing device including a main supporting frame, a set of feeding and restraining rolls and a set of pull rolls mounted on said frame, through which rolls the double-width strip successively passes, the pull rolls serving to separate successive pairs of half-units from the strip held by the restraining rolls; two pairs of feed rolls disposed in the line of progress of the units beyond the pull rolls, one pair on each side of the center line of the strip, the rolls of each pair being disposed in coacting feeding relationship on respective opposite surfaces of the half-units of sheet material, the last named pairs of rolls being set at angles to the center line, their axes diverging forwardly, whereby the feed rolls of the respective pairs seize the half-units of the successive .severed units and move them toward the center line of the strip, and tripping means for successively displacing one half-unit of each unit from the common plane to facilitate interleaving and to determine the sequence of said half-units in stacking them in a single pile; and a common driving means for said pull rolls and said last named feed rolls, said feed rolls being supported by an auxiliary frame detachable from said main supporting frame and said common driving means comprising a source of power on said main frame, transmission means on said main frame and operatively connected between said source of power and one of said pull rolls, a gear on the shaft of said pull roll, and a gear train carried by said auxiliary frame and operatively connected with one of said feed rolls and including a gear removably disposed in engagement with the gear on the shaft of said pull roll.

3. An interleaving and stacking delivery device for handling elements of sheet material fed to the device in side-by-side formation, said device comprising a supporting frame, a set of mating upper and lower feed rolls disposed respectively in the path of each of the two oncoming series of elements, the sets of rolls being canted in a horizontal plane so that the axes of the two sets diverge as viewed in the direction of feed of the elements, whereby the elements of each series are directed inwardly toward each other, further sets of canted feed rolls in the path of each of the two series of elements for further moving the elements of the adjacent pairs in overlapping relationship toward a common pile.

4. The device as set forth in claim 3 in which there are provided vertically disposed converging supporting frames, one upon each side of the device, said supporting frames being provided with bearings, supporting shafts for the lower ones of the sets of canted rolls, the shafts of the lower rolls on each side of the device being operatively connected by universal joints near the center line of the device, and driving means adjacent at least one of said vertical converging frames and means Within said driving means for operatively connecting the device with a source of power.

5. The device as set forth in claim 4 in which the upper rolls of the sets of canted feed rolls are mounted on angled shafts fixed in the respective vertical frame members whereby they are free to rotate in cooperation with the driven lower rolls to feed the elements of the respective series.

6. An interleaving and stacking delivery device for handling elements of sheet material fed to the device in side-by-side formation, said device comprising a supporting frame, a set of mating upper and lower feed rolls disposed respectively in the path of each of the two oncoming series of elements, the sets of rolls being canted in a horizontal plane so that the axes of the two sets diverge as viewed in the direction of feed of the elements, whereby the elements of each series are directed inwardly toward each other, tripping means disposed adjacent the set of canted feed rolls for displacing the elements of the series on one side of the path out of the common horizontal plane to ensure the proper sequence of interleaving of the half-units by the canted feed rolls.

7. The device as set forth in claim 6 in which the cooperating sets of canted feed rolls are spaced apart centrally of the device leaving inward portions of the two series of elements free, whereby said tripping means may operate to flex at least one of the elements of an adjacent pair out of the common plane during the time that the outward portions of the two series of elements are entering the bites of the roHs.

8. The device as set forth in claim 7 in which the tripping means comprises a ledge disposed beneath the oncoming side-by-side series of elements and a tongue projecting upwardly from said ledge on one side of the center line to raise the inward edges of the elements of one series.

9. An interleaving and stacking delivery device for handling elements of sheet material fed to the device in side-by-side formation, said device comprising a supporting frame, a set of mating upper and lower feed rolls disposed respectively in the path of each of the two oncoming series of elements, the sets of rolls being canted in a horizontal plane so that the axes of the two sets diverge as viewed in the direction of feed of the elements, whereby the elements of each series are directed inwardly toward each other, a ledge disposed beneath the oncoming side-by-side series of elements, and a tongue projecting upwardly from said ledge on one side of the center line to raise the inward edges of the succeeding elements of one series out of the common plane of the webs to determine the sequence of interleaving of the elements, a further set of canted feed rolls in the path of each of the two series of elements for moving the elements of the adjacent pairs in overlapping relationship toward a common pile.

10. A combined machine for treating and handling strips and sheets of sheet material, said machine comprising rotary means acting to deliver from a treating portion of the machine two series of elements of sheet material in side-by-side formation, a source of power, transmission means operatively connecting said rotary means with said source of power, and a gear carried by and rotatable with said rotary means, two pairs of mating feed rolls disposed in the line of progress of said elements beyond said rotary means, one pair on each side of the center line of the double series of elements, the rolls of each pair being disposed in coacting feeding relationship on respective opposite surfaces of the elements of sheet material, said pairs of rolls being set at angles to said center line, their axes diverging forwardly, whereby the feed rolls of the respective pairs seize the corresponding elements of the successive parallel series andmove them toward the center line so that the elements of the two series are interleaved and delivered onto a single pile; a gear in driving relation to said feed rolls and adapted to mesh with said gear carried by said rotary means to derive rotation for said feed rolls from said source of power.

11. A combined machine for treating and handling strips and sheets of sheet material, said machine comprising a main supporting frame, rotary means on said frame acting to deliver from a treating portion of the machine two series of elements of sheet material in sideby-side formation, a source of power, transmission means operatively connecting said rotary means with said source of power, and a gear carried by and rotatable with said rotary means, two pairs of mating feed rolls disposed in the line of progress of said elements beyond said rotary means, one pair on each side of the center line of the double series of elements, the rolls of each pair being disposed in coacting feeding relationship on respective opposite surfaces of the elements of sheet material, said pairs of rolls being set at angles to said center line, their axes diverging forwardly, whereby the feed rolls of the respective pairs seize the corresponding elements of the successive parallel series and move them toward the center line so that the elements of the two series are interleaved and delivered onto a singie pile; a gear in driving relation to said feed rolls and adapted to mesh with said gear carried by said rotary means to derive rotation for said feed rolls from said source of power, said feed rolls being mounted on an auxiliary frame detachable from said main supporting frame and in which said second named gear is connected with said feed roll by a gear train and is carried by said auxiliary frame in a position to be engaged with said first named gear when said auxiliary frame is disposed in operative position with respect to said main frame.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,429,945 10/ 47 Rayburn 225-2 2,661,215 12/53 Stevens 273-149 2,778,424 1/57 Hageman et al. 225-2 2,920,888 1/ Smith 270-58 3,019,013 1/62 Didde et a1 270-58 3,108,796 10/63 Dietrick 270-58 FOREIGN PATENTS 675,710 5/39 Germany.

EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner.

WILLIAM W. DYER, JR., Examiner. 

1. A MACHINE FOR SEVERING LONGITUDINALLY SUCCEEDING UNITS FROM A DOUBLE-WIDTH CONTINUOUS STRIP OF SHEET MATERIAL AND STACKING SAID UNITS IN A SINGLE PILE, SAID MACHINE COMPRISING A SEVERING DEVICE INCLUDING A SET OF FEEDING AND RESTRAINING ROLLS AND A SET OF PULL ROLLS MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME, THROUGH WHICH ROLLS THE DOUBLE-WIDTH STRIP SUCCESSIVELY PASSES, THE PULL ROLLS SERVING TO SEPARATE SUCCESSIVE PAIRS OF HALF-UNITS FROM THE STRIP HELD BY THE RESTRAINING ROLLS; TWO PAIRS OF FEED ROLLS DISPOSED IN THE LINE OF PROGRESS OF THE UNITS BEYOND THE PULL ROLLS, ONE PAIR ON EACH SIDE OF THE CENTER LINE OF THE STRIP, THE ROLLS OF EACH PAIR BEING DISPOSED IN COACTING FEEDING RELATIONSHIP ON RESPECTIVE OPPOSITE SURFACES OF THE HALF-UNITS OF SHEET MATERIAL, THE LAST NAMED PAIRS OF ROLLS BEING SET AT ANGLES 